Ethical Dilemma 4

1. Randy have following options to deal with the dilemma:

 Only a pharmaceutical manufacturer has the competence to extend the expiration period of
drugs and not a warehouse or a distributor. So, Randy can ask his boss Cheryl to get the
extended expiration date validated by the pharmaceutical manufacturer. It is because most of
the tablets, powder lose only lose their potency marginally due to three month extension as
compared to insulin, antibiotics which degrade after the expiration date.
 Since Randy is a fresher he may be nervous about suggesting the above course of action to
Cheryl. However, he may like to keep the hospital informed about his proposed course of action.
So that the large hospitals who have good standing and reputation may agree to this policy of
extension of expiry date. Randy can then inform about it to Cheryl and follow the instructions.
 And if Cheryl is convinced that the cost benefit of extension of expiry date is favorable then the
warehouse company Meeker should insist that label with extended validity periods replace
older labels for new deliveries. And for the current batch, the warehouse company shouldn’t
alter the labels and they should replace the older expired medical supplies with the new
supplies.
 If the company didn’t change its current system then Randy should quit and look for new job.

2. The implications of comparing Meeker’s practice with that of competitors is that they make longer
expiration date on the medication than Meeker so they were able to get away with it. It’s like the
old saying if you see someone jump off the cliff will you do it too. Doing what your competitors do is
not the way to go. You can’t put your company in the cross hairs of ethical dilemma, just because
your competitors are doing. Hence Meeker should follow practice that is ethically correct and not
follow what competitors are doing.

3. Randy responsibility to the stakeholders does not involve changing label on expiring drugs. His
responsibility to Meeker differ is not differ from his responsibility to the hospitals which is to provide
safe and healthy drugs to the hospital. And I think the only responsibility Randy has on this situation
with the stakeholders is the company reputation and the name. Both of which he can lose if this
goes downhill. The reputation of Meeker can go down if it lets out that the company was willing to
lie and hid to the hospitals about they’re medication and their finance goes right down with it. The
responsibility of Meeker is different but only in the way that they can lose their clients trust with the
company is willing to hide the date on their medication.